


Meeting Rhodey

by love_in_the_stars



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Because he's awesome, Fluff abound here, Gen, Team fic with bonus Rhodey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-30
Updated: 2012-08-30
Packaged: 2017-11-13 04:16:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/499380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_in_the_stars/pseuds/love_in_the_stars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the battle and everyone has settled down to enjoy shawarma, the team meets someone close to their Iron Man and see a new side to the man who nearly sacrificed everything to save the planet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meeting Rhodey

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this](http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/9218.html?thread=20576514#t20576514) prompt at AvengerKink

Everyone was just about asleep with their faces in the food when the door of the shawarma place slammed open and the team jumped collectively. Natasha had flipped a fork into her hand like a throwing knife and Clint’s got an arrow in his free hand, cheeks bulged with hastily shoved in food while Steve lunged to get his hands on the shield resting by his feet. Bruce jumped, startled but too exhausted to Hulk out unless directly in danger and Thor perked up, clearly prepared for a fight. Tony did the same as Bruce but relaxed instantly when he saw who was in the doorway.   
  
“Rhodey!” He crowed, throwing his arms out in welcome, not realizing he almost winged Thor with the move. The Air Force colonel only scowled at Tony, giving each of the others a brief measuring look before focusing once more on Tony.   
  
“You owe me another suit upgrade. A real one this time, not a laser that projects pictures of kittens and rainbows. Bastard.”   
  
“Oh, come on Honey Bear! You have to admit, the look on that pompous ass’ face was so worth it.”   
  
“How would you know? You weren’t even  at that demonstration!”   
  
“Ye of little faith, Rhodey! Of course I was watching.” Tony scoffed before looking around and snagging a chair that he pulled over between himself and Bruce. “Now, sit! We’re having shawarma, it’s a new thing. Pretty good too.”   
  
Rhodes stood strong though and glared some more. “I’m serious, Tony. Why didn’t you tell me you were out taking on aliens! Instead I had to hear it from a hysterical Pepper over the phone while she tells me you’ve flown yourself and a fucking nuclear bomb into a portal to another dimension!”   
  
Clint frowned and opened his mouth but a fierce kick from Natasha shut him up and he just looked at her curiously.   
  
“I’m sorry.” Tony said, voice serious and his face matching. Across the table, Steve lifted his brows in surprise, watching the exchange silently. “I didn’t know it would come to that until it was too late. It all happened rather fast, really. I was just supposed to be consulting with Bruce here to find the Tesseract. But then it kind of all went to shit.”   
  
“As most things do around you.” Rhodey said, his stance softening slightly at the genuine contrition as anger melted out and concern replaced it. “You’re alright, though? Now, I mean.”   
  
Tony smiled up at the other man, nudging the offered chair with his foot. “I’m okay. Tried as hell but I’m pretty sure that qualifies for all of us.”   
  
Looking again at the others, Rhodey nodded shortly before taking the seat with a heaving sigh. “Jesus, that was crazy.”   
  
“How did you find us?” Bruce asked as Tony shoved his plate over to Rhodey.   
  
“As Air Force colonel and military liaison with SI, I have gathered quite a few connections.” Rhodes responded, poking at the shawarma before taking a bite.   
  
Tony made a cooing noise and leaned toward Rhodey, fluttering his lashes exaggeratedly. “That’s my Honey Bear.”   
  
Rhodey rolled his eyes, pointedly ignoring Bruce’s, Clint’s and Natasha’s matching grins. “Someone has to watch out for you since you don’t seem to know how to do it yourself.”   
  
Tony just shrugged in return and leaned further over until he was pressed against Rhodey, head on his shoulder and body slumped in his own chair. They made small talk for the next hour, Thor telling a few battle tales to a highly interested Natasha and curious Rhodey while Steve just nodded along, not understanding some of the god’s strange wording. Clint exchanged a few barbs with Tony and prodded Bruce a couple times into conversation but eventually the two genius were out for the count. Bruce asleep propped on his own fist and Tony’s gentle snores sounding in Rhodey’s ear.    
  
When Clint and Steve looked close to following, Rhodey gathered himself up and ruffled Tony’s hair to nudge the other awake. “C’mon, Tones, time to get out of here. You need about three days of sleep, I think.”   
  
Tony muttered something insulting about the world but Rhodey ignored it to look at the others. “You guys have some place to be?”   
  
Clint and Natasha looked at each other and shrugged. “We should probably report back in with SHIELD.” She said.   
  
Steve was nodded with them but Thor sighed deeply. “Until my brother has been dealt with I do not think it would be safe for me to return to my intended’s side.”   
  
“Right.” Rhodey said, looking at them all. Bruce was still asleep but he knew the story there, knew the scientist didn’t have anyplace to go either. “Forget that. You guys need to come back to Stark Tower. Tony has more than enough room and it would be safer for everyone, at least for now.”   
  
“Oh, I don’t really think we should.” Steve started but just then Tony made a disgruntled noise and lifted his head off of Rhodey.   
  
“Meh, nope. Sleepover. Sleepovers are awesome, we should totally do that. Bruce. Bruuuce.” Tony clumsily leaned over Rhodey to poke at Banner until the other jerked awake. “You wanna stay over, right? We saved the fucking world, that is sleepover deserving.”   
  
Bruce rubbed at his face and managed a one shoulder shrug. “Sure, Tony.”   
  
“See! I win, we’re going.” With that Tony stood up, surprisingly steady despite the way he still looked half-asleep but just incase Rhodey stood up as well and grasped his arm. With his other hand, Rhodey pulled out his phone and dialed while Tony peered up at him curiously. “What are you doing?”   
  
“Calling Happy to pick us up. I’m not lugging this bunch around in taxis.”   
  
Tony squinted at the assembled group of worn heroes and snorted. “Yeah, be funny though.”   
  
“No, Tony.”   
  
“But...”   
  
“No.”   
  
A few minutes later Rhodey herded Tony out the door and to the waiting vehicle, the others following behind like a group of baby ducklings. Steve stopped by the door and watched Rhodey corral Tony skillfully into the limo, countering sarcastic quips with his own barbs and generally just handling the eccentric man with minimum damage.    
  
He looked over to Natasha, who was supporting Clint and watching the same scene. “Do you think he could teach us how to do that?”   
  
Natasha just gave him a wry, almost pitying look. “That depends on how many years you’re willing to give up to learn.”   
  
Bruce had followed Tony’s lead into the limo and Thor was marveling over the horseless chariot. Steve thought about that and gave the red headed woman a shrug in response but was unable to hide his small smile.   
  
“I think we’ll all be spending some time getting to know each other.”


End file.
